


Strawberries

by synammia



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Introspection, Love, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:41:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synammia/pseuds/synammia
Summary: Steven and Connie visit the Strawberry Battlefield for a lunchtime picnic‚ before fusing into Stevonnie.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Strawberries

**Author's Note:**

> this takes place a few months after change your mind, in case u were wondering how to imagine them!! i hope u enjoy!!! :3

Sweetness. They were surrounded by it‚ with messy‚ wild strawberries growing every which way and farther than they could hope to understand.

These strawberries seemed as though they were always in bloom on the old battlefield‚ no matter what season it was or the time of year. Steven thought that perhaps it had something to do with the soldiers who fought there such a long time ago—those that he couldn’t ever save. As if their strong will lived on still‚ and had some part in helping the strawberries grow. Beautiful‚ they were. Tangled around each other‚ until it would be impossible to make out where one strawberry began and another ended. They surrounded each other‚ growing well and always. Sharing.

It was a final battle cry for these fallen Gems. That they could not be lost or forgotten to history in the way Homeworld surely hoped they would be. They existed still‚ on Earth. Everywhere.

At least‚ he liked to think that’s what it was.

Yes‚ he knew the strawberries grew well‚ as they always had and likely always would. Even so‚ he thought they were especially ripe around the months of May and June‚ and so he had invited Connie along with him for a lunchtime picnic. Enjoying themselves in the overgrown strawberry fields.

Steven led her through them‚ her hands trusting his to help guide her. Connie’s eyes were closed; both in genuine excitement and as a way to keep the surprise‚ even if there wasn’t much of one to begin with.

She had visited these strawberry fields before‚ on their countless adventures together‚ yet Steven still hoped to create something of a romantic surprise. In the stories he read‚ there’d be a grand show of romance and love‚ unlike any other before it. He wasn’t sure a picnic that she helped with packing would fit into that‚ but it hardly mattered. As long as they were together.

“Oh! Watch your step‚ there’s still a few weapons lying around here‚” Steven reminded her. They were continuing on their way through the strawberry vines‚ all tangled up within each other. Old and forgotten weapons were hidden between them—if they had ever been wielded‚ that Gem had long since been lost.

“Really? Do you think Pearl would let me use some of them for training? I love the sword Bismuth made for me‚ but I’d love to try something new and really apply what I’ve learned so far!”

He laughed‚ stepping in a mushed old strawberry in the process. It got between his toes. He didn’t mind. “Yeah! I can ask her. And if you want‚ I can always ask Bismuth if we could borrow some of her weapons for training‚ or ask her to make something unique! Everything here was made by her‚ anyway. She outfitted like‚ the entire rebellion.”

With both of them so caught up in their conversation‚ neither was paying much attention to their footing or where Steven was leading them. Then‚ Steven stepped backwards and got his foot caught on a strawberry vine‚ which caused him to trip over himself and take an unsuspecting Connie down with him.

They landed in a pile of strawberries‚ smothered with mushed strawberry and its juice. Sweetness was everywhere. Staining the clothing of both of them and hiding in clumps within their hair.

For a moment after‚ much like the one between lightning and its sound‚ they both sat in a similar confusion. That is‚ before Connie started giggling‚ likely at the ridiculousness of the situation. “Well‚ so much for our picnic lunch! We should probably head back to the Temple and ask Pearl to wash our clothes for us. I just hope this stuff doesn’t stain.”

“No‚ we don’t have to! We can still eat like this‚ we’ll just say we had a… strawberry fight!” As he said this‚ Steven plucked one of the smaller strawberries from the ground‚ mushing it into something unrecogniseable with his fist. He flung it towards Connie with movement lacking grace‚ falling to the ground with a thud as he did.

It landed with a splatter on her left cheek‚ which caused her to fall into an even greater fit of laughter and had her tossing a strawberry in  _ his _ direction. Both of them giggling.

Soon enough‚ they became a song. Connie was the melody‚ one to be played at a first dance between lovers. Beauty‚ becoming more sure of herself as time went on. She was gentleness between people. Steven was the joy of singing. He was a grade school choir‚ countless children all together‚ singing without care. Enjoying themselves so much that it hardly mattered what their singing was like‚ if it was any good at all‚ because it sounded wonderful either way. Believing they were everything good about the world.

They belonged together and they were made of each other. Closeness. Wide smiles and stained clothing and messiness. An impossibility of worrying.

In the way a song does exist as itself and cannot be separated into two things‚ their bodies became closer together until they were nearly intertwined. Both of them were without shoes and had a strange feeling of stickiness‚ with strawberries hidden between their fingers and toes. Of course‚ they were only a song. It hardly mattered. Songs certainly couldn’t stain their clothing.

There was childlike wonder surrounding them‚ or if not wonder‚ then at least foolishness. Love between them.

Stevonnie.

Finally‚ when they thought there must not have been any more strawberries left to ruin or songs to be sung‚ they lay quietly. Surrounding themself with the wildness of it all. Becoming entangled within the vines and sweetness. There was a peacefulness surrounding them. They wondered if any wildlife lived around there‚ as they’d never noticed any.

After such a long time‚ it was strange to be themself again.

“I guess we should probably eat our lunch now‚ huh?” Stevonnie finally spoke‚ although to no one but themself. “Yeah. I’m lucky that sandwiches don’t get cold.”

Stevonnie sat themself up‚ and reached for the picnic basket Connie had been carrying along with her. Inside it were two neatly packed sandwiches for each of them‚ as well as juice boxes and cookies that Pearl insisted should be homemade. It reminded them of childhood. The innocence in the early days of their friendship.

“Uhm‚ here—” Stevonnie thought for a moment‚ holding a sandwich in each of their hands. One for Steven‚ and one for Connie. Unsure. “I don’t really know how to do this. I guess I should just eat… everything? Yeah‚ that sounds like a good idea.”

They took a bite of one of the sandwiches. “It’s really pretty here.”

They sat in silence for a while‚ appreciating the view and the peacefulness of the afternoon along with it. Beyond the strawberries‚ there were hills that continued on with a pink hue about them‚ and the islands above; an unfortunate reminder of memories Steven would rather not think about. Stevonnie always found it strange‚ how carelessly the Gems would walk through places they’d once known as battlegrounds‚ where they had lost countless friends and allies. It was as if they didn’t remember any of it‚ or simply didn’t care.

They knew that the truth was‚ wherever they went was a memory of a battleground. All of it. From the strawberry fields which seemed perfect for an afternoon picnic‚ to the Sky Arena where Connie had first learned to fight‚ and where Steven had learned he didn’t like to. There was nowhere on Earth that lacked memories of Gems and their suffering‚ and freedom.

When they both were younger‚ Steven couldn’t understand it. Connie hadn’t known anything about it. However‚ after everything that had happened‚ they thought they were finally beginning to understand. Appreciating the freedom and peacetime for what it was. Having known hatred and blame. Knowing that every attempt they made to show love‚ kindness and tolerance would only be met with more senseless violence and death. Everything they did‚ even with the best of intentions‚ would lead only to suffering because that’s all there could be. It was all that could exist in war.

With the peace that comes after all that‚ like warmth against their skin and an indescribable feeling inside themself. Laughter. Acceptance. Freedom to be themself without fear of it being taken from them. For Steven and Connie to explore themselves and all that life has to offer—with and without each other.

Stevonnie understood what Pearl had meant so long ago‚ when she told Steven about the strawberries overgrowing where a battlefield had once stood. That’s what they loved about the Earth‚ as well. How everything could become something else.

They began to watch as clouds drifted by‚ finding shapes and patterns. Imagining stories that could be understood by no one but themself. These stories would be about anything they could think of at that moment‚ created only for Steven to keep Connie entertained‚ and her for him. Daydreaming of castles and lions and anything else. It went on like that for quite a while‚ with gentle breathing and togetherness and stories created from clouds and imagination. Finishing off their lunchtime picnic. Strawberries.

“I love being me‚” Stevonnie decided.

With that‚ they had a feeling of happiness unlike any other before it. It was as if they’d gotten a hug from someone they loved most in the world‚ and it felt like warmth and kindness and shared memories. There was belonging‚ understanding in who they were and knowing they were loved by everyone for it. That they always would be. That even if that wasn’t true‚ and all of the world somehow hated them‚ and they were once again locked away in a tower and forgotten‚ that everyone else was wrong for it. They couldn’t possibly be wrong.

Stevonnie understood the wild strawberries they surrounded themself with. How they were always entangled within each other‚ sharing the vines that they were made of until they simply couldn’t exist without each other. They couldn’t be understood that way. If one of the strawberries had gone to mold‚ or was misunderstood to be‚ it couldn’t be abandoned. It wouldn’t be right. It was all beautiful together‚ with each other.

They found they belonged there‚ amongst the messy‚ overgrown strawberries.

They loved themself.


End file.
